Congrats to Don E[Tazzerbobo]. His horse Luz Estrella won the 3rd race at GP today via dq. She was making a winning move up the rail under Paco Lopez when the horse in the lead came over and forced her to check and finish 2nd.. Stewards flashed the inquiry and Paco claimed foul. Stewards dqed the...

In the final episode of the DRF Players’ Podcast (the TBD Players’ Podcast will commence in another place next week), PTF and JK host the first ever Podcast Holiday Quiz. Joined by special guests Matt Scarlata, Drew Coatney, and Gene Menez, they review some of the sometimes sublime but always ridiculous history of the show.

Special guest Richard Migliore joins Peter Thomas Fornatale to talk about his life in racing. Topics include what horsemen and horseplayers can learn from each other, and how today's riding culture is different from when Migliore was riding. Plus, what does a dieting jockey eat for dessert?

This field of 12 is full of very bad horses that can be easily eliminated. The median winning Beyer Speed Figure is 67, but nine of the 10 experienced runners entered in here have yet to crack 40. Furthermore, the odds on seven of them have been less than 20-to-1 only twice in 17 races with the average odds of these 17 races being 53-to-1.

Single digit speed figures and Beyer donuts populate the racing form page. I guess that’s why the morning line maker hung odds of 7-to-2 on #8 Danceuponthestars, a first time starter who has been training slowly at Golden Gate Fields.

Realistically, I can see only three horses winning this race: #8 Danceuponthestars, #10 Towser and #11 Ministerfrommiami. Any other horse would be a complete shocker.

Owned and trained by Ed Moger, Danceuponthestars is switching circuits and jockey Mike Smith has won five times and placed five times in 19 chances with 2-year-old first time starters. Although most of them were in the maiden special weight ranks.

Towser showed a good burst of speed on June 12 and trainer Mike Harrington upgrades the jockey from Felipe Valdez to Michael Baze. Towser should be near the early lead, but his odds may be no better than even money.

Finally, John Sadler sends out #11 Ministerfrommiami who ran in spurts in his July 3 debut. This gelding is running in his second lifetime race, but I like Danceuponthestars better.

At 5/2 or more, I will bet $200 on #8 Danceuponthestars and at 2/1 or better I’ll put $200 on Towser.

He's won multiple training titles in Southern California over his 40-year career, and had trained an Eclipse Award winner, but John Sadler went to the next level over the past year based on the accomplishments of Accelerate.

JOCKEY QUOTES FLAVIEN PRAT, VASILIKA, WINNER: “When Drysdale’s filly (La Sardane) made that early move, it put pressure on Smith’s filly (Ms Bad Behavior) and it helped me. I didn’t want to be in a hurry, but she really picked it up and she finished well. I think a mile and one eighth might be her […] The post MEGAHERTZ STAKES QUOTES-MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2 […]

JOCKEY QUOTES FLAVIEN PRAT, VASILIKA, WINNER: “When Drysdale’s filly (La Sardane) made that early move, it put pressure on Smith’s filly (Ms Bad Behavior) and it helped me. I didn’t want to be in a hurry, but she really picked it up and she finished well. I think a mile and one eighth might be her […] The post MEGAHERTZ STAKES QUOTES-MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2 […]